Trevor Geer has told his Eastbourne Eagles to get their act together after a nightmare hammering by the leaders.

Eagles were routed 56-37 at early season pacesetters Swindon Robins, their third double-digit away defeat in a week.

They now badly need a morale boosting home win when Leigh Adams and his highly-impressive Robins come to Arlington for what should be a cracker of a meeting on Saturday.

Geer was stunned by a result which sent Eastbourne down to third place in the Elite League on points difference and suggested poor preparation was partly to blame.

The team manager admitted: "It's not a good result at all. They have got to sort their equipment out.

"They all had a bad first race and they were all swapping bikes and engines.

"Simon Gustafsson seized his good engine before the meeting started and it was all a bit of a nightmare really.

"We've got a few days off now and they have got to get their equipment sorted out and get back focused."

Apart from three classy Scott Nicholls wins and some determination by Edward Kennett, there was precious little for the visitors to enjoy at the 363-metre Blunsdon circuit.

True, Gustafsson and Cameron Woodward had a heat-14 5-1 but the Sky-televised contest was over by then.

Lee Richardson was the biggest disappointment, scoring just five points from four rides back at his old home circuit before declining the chance of a heat 15 outing.

Disappointing Robins set the tone early as they scorched into a 14-4 lead after three heats with the third of those being the most disappointing from an Eagles viewpoint.

They might have expected at least a share of the spoils but Travis McGowan sped clear and Troy Batchelor withstood a stern Woodward challenge to complete the 5-1 while Richardson trundled around in last place before retiring with a rueful look at his engine.

Eagles reached for white and black as early as heat five and Nicholls duly did the job after fighting his way outside Batchelor going off bend two to lead a 7-2 which halved the arrears.

Kennett, though, was excluded from the next race after losing control in heavy going on bend two and home skipper Adams ushered James Wright around for an easy 5-1 over Gustafsson in the re-run.

Robins enjoyed six 5-1s in all. Yet the race which really killed off any Eastbourne hopes was one in which they shared the spoils.

Richardson and Woodward burst away in heat seven on a potential maximum which would have brought them back within five points of their hosts.

That was when Mads Korneliusson delighted locals on the Abbey Stadium terraces by picking off Woodward with ease and then, after a bit more of a battle, leaving Richardson behind him for the best heat win of the night.

Richardson's bad night was complete when Batchelor cut back inside him on the last lap to win heat 12.

Nicholls denied Adams his maximum with a majestic ride in heat 14 but it was too little to salvage Eastbourne pride.

That will have to be done on home shale on Saturday.

SWINDON 56: Leigh Adams 3,2*,3,2,3 = 13+1 James Wright 1,3,2*,2* = 8+2 Troy Batchelor 2*,2,3,3,2* = 12+2 Travis McGowan 3,0,1,0 = 4 Mads Korneliusson 2,3,2,1* = 8+1 Cory Gathercole 2*,0,0,1 = 3+1 Seb Alden 3,1*,3,1 = 8+1.

EAGLES 37: Scott Nicholls 2,6,3,3,1 = 15 Lewis Bridger 0,1,R,1 = 2 Lee Richardson R,2,1,2 = 5 Cameron Woodward 1,1*,0,2* 0 = 4+2 Edward Kennett 3,X,2,0 = 5 Simon Gustafsson 1,1,1,0,3 = 6 Andrew Bargh 0,0,R = 0.

Can Eagles get revenge on Saturday?